The Digital Solutions Engineer will be pivotal in bridging software implementation into field operations. This role will require a 75% Field to 25% Office blend

Role Purpose

The Technical Product Lead serves as the primary product and domain interface between Software Development and the Product Service Lines (PSLs).

The role is responsible for converting operational needs into clear, validated, and prioritized software requirements and maintaining product continuity through development, testing, field validation, implementation, and performance measurement.

The position is not primarily a programming role. Its value comes from combining operational understanding, structured analysis, product ownership, and software translation.

Core Responsibilities

Operational Need & SME Engagement

Clarify the operational problem and desired business outcome.

Identify and coordinate the appropriate operations, maintenance, engineering, and field SMEs.

Document current and future workflows, constraints, dependencies, and edge cases.

Distinguish scalable product requirements from individual or localized preferences.

Reconcile conflicting stakeholder input and maintain clear decision ownership.

Product & Software Translation

Translate operational workflows into functional requirements, user stories, business rules, process diagrams, algorithm requirements, and acceptance criteria.

Provide clear functional direction to software and controls teams.

Maintain traceability between the original business problem and developed functionality.

Support backlog refinement, scope clarification, prioritization, and release planning.

Ensure requirements are operationally valid, technically understandable, and testable.

Development Interface

Serve as the primary source of product clarification for assigned software-development work.

Participate in planning, design reviews, demonstrations, testing, and release-readiness activities.

Coordinate access to SMEs when additional technical or operational input is required.

Reduce the need for software engineers to independently interpret operational requirements or resolve conflicting stakeholder direction.

Validation & Implementation

Define operational and functional acceptance criteria.

Coordinate bench, integration, field, and user-acceptance testing.

Ensure testing reflects representative operating conditions and edge cases.

Support field implementation, training, readiness, and adoption.

Maintain continuity from development through operational use.

Product Performance

Define and track product-level KPIs.

Monitor utilization, reliability, operational performance, and adoption.

Collect field feedback and translate it into future product priorities.

Support documentation of operational and financial value.

Role Boundaries

The Technical Product Lead does not replace Software Engineering, Controls Engineering, PSL leadership, or specialized SMEs.

PSLs provide operational priorities, domain expertise, field workflows, and business outcomes.

The Technical Product Lead converts that input into structured product direction and manages it through the software-development process.

Software Development owns architecture, technical design, programming, integration, technical quality, reliability, and deployment.

Ideal Profile

The strongest candidate would have:

Completions, field, engineering, maintenance, or related domain experience

Strong analytical and problem-solving capability

Ability to translate operational workflows into technical requirements

Experience working with software, controls, or digital-product teams

Strong stakeholder and SME facilitation skills

Understanding of Agile and software-development processes

Ability to manage priorities, actions, testing, and implementation activities

Strong written and technical communication skills

Programming experience may be beneficial but is not required.

Measures of Success

Success would be measured through:

Quality and completeness of requirements

Reduction in requirement-driven rework

Timeliness of product decisions

Effective SME engagement

Improved development-team clarity

Field-test and release readiness

Product adoption and utilization

Achievement of defined operational KPIs

Consistent documentation and knowledge retention

Minimum Requirements

3-5 Years of Hydraulic Fracturing Engineering Experience

4 Year STEM / Engineering Bachelor's Degree

Summary

The Technical Product Lead provides the structured bridge between operational need and software execution.

The role ensures the correct SMEs are engaged, operational workflows are accurately understood, requirements are translated into development-ready direction, and assigned products remain connected to their intended business outcome from initial concept through field implementation.

The Evolving Oil Field Demands Evolving Service Providers

NexTier is a leading provider of integrated completions that employs sustainable practices and equipment to support our customers’ ESG goals while accelerating production in the most demanding US land basins.

Patterson-UTI is committed to a workplace free from discrimination and harassment, offering equal employment opportunities to all individuals regardless of personal characteristics protected by law. Employees are encouraged to report any concerns through multiple channels.